Abstract The paper analyzes "The Colonial Heritage of LatinAmerica," by Stanley and Barbara Stein who argue that many of the characteristics and limitations of LatinAmerica have their inception during the colonial period and have been altered only slightly with the passage of time and increasing technology that enables better contact with the rest of the world. The paper discusses the suggestion that LatinAmerica is a continent that has only been able to inadequately fulfill its development potential, based on the limitations of the persistent characteristics of its colonial past.
From the Paper "In "The Colonial Heritage of Latin America," Stanley and Barbara Stein argue that many of the characteristics and limitations of Latin America have their inception during the colonial period and have been altered only slightly with the passage of time and increasing technology that enables better contact with the rest of the world."
Abstract This paper gives a brief yet concise history of the independence period in LatinAmerica. This era took place in the early 19th century and was characterized by countries seeking independence from the colonial rule of Spain and Portugal. The role of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe and the American War of Independence are considered as possible influences for the Latin American quest for independence. The role of Simon Bolivar, a Latin American fighter and revolutionary, is also considered.
From the Paper "Throughout its history, Latin America was fraught with violence and bloodshed. Whether it was the invasions with the Toltec in Mexico in 950-1150 Common Era (CE), the defeat of Chimu by Tupca Inca in Chile in 1476 CE or Tenochtitlan falling to the Spaniards and their Indian allies in 1521 (Baker 1998) , the landscape from the American continent to the Caribbean islands was forged with fire and the blood of both natives and conquerors. But the revolution discussed herein is the one or those that happened from 1800 to 1830 wherein the fundamental structure of Latin American countries changed and spelled "the beginning of the end of the Iberian Colonial powers in Ibero-America." As discuss by Baker, the period is known as Independence Period wherein, like falling dominos, colonized countries from Haiti, Paraguay, and Venezuela to Chile, Argentina, etc. revolted against their masters and declared Free states. "
Abstract This essay looks at purpose of the pre-colonial economy in LatinAmerica and the methods employed by the Spaniards to control the natives and production under colonization. It examines the diverse population the Spaniards found upon arrival, and how the Spaniards simply superimposed themselves upon existing structures. The four main labour systems used by the Spanish are outlined. The exploitation based on the economic systems implementated by the Spaniards is explored.
From the Paper "The process of colonization within any one country or group of countries was conditioned by the pre-existing historical circumstances and the attractiveness of its resources to the colonisers. In turn, these affected the degree of exploitation and the nature of the developments that took place and consequently the level of marginalisation that occurred within the economy and society. The conquest of Latin America was carried out by the Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch and British. But it was Spain who secured the largest, richest and most diverse territory, and did so with great rapidity. Within 70 years of Columbus's arrival in the Caribbean, Spain had overthrown the Aztec and Inca empires and occupied most of middle and western South America."
Abstract This paper examines how as early as 1958, the Milton Eisenhower report criticised U.S. behavior on LatinAmerica and how Latinos accused the U.S. of denying them credits in the desired volume, of fixing prices to their detriment, of neglecting the necessity of social reform and of supporting the region's dictators. It looks at how under the pressure of the Cuban Revolution, John F. Kennedy launched an unprecedented development programme for LatinAmerica which took into account Eisenhower's demands. It discusses the Alliance for Progress that Kennedy launched to help LatinAmerica in the 1960s. It evaluate its failure by the 1970s and examines the reasons for that failure, with particular reference to Frei's Chile.
From the Paper "Idealism and liberalism would soon be replaced by realism in the White House. The Kennedy administration's passion for the development of Latin America, strongly influenced by the realities of Fidel Castro in Cuba, was replaced, after JFK's assassination, by Lyndon Johnson and his Latin American Affairs chief, Thomas Mann. Both men saw Latin America from the position of Texan oil entrepreneurs, "Mexico and the rest". As LaFeber argues Mann was, "the perfect choice to dismantle the Alliance at the same time Johnson continued the old Kennedy rhetoric". If the Alliance contained fundamental flaws under Kennedy's idealists, then once the realism of Johnson and Mann, followed by the globalism of Nixon and Kissinger, came to power, the last chance for the Alliance to prove a success was extinguished."
Abstract The paper discusses that the term 'Indian giver' has come to be a synonym for someone who gives something, only to take it back. The paper further explains that it was the Indians who were forced to give to the Europeans--their knowledge about farming and fishing in the Americas and ultimately their land. The paper discusses that in Jack Weatherford's book, "Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World," the exchange between Europeans and Native Americans was an unequal one, with Europeans taking of the positive benefits of the New World, while the Indians were doing all of the giving. The paper concludes that unwittingly, the Indians found themselves the recipient of the evils of European civilization, like slavery, and a disrespectful attitude to the land.
From the Paper "According to Weatherford, the early post-Columbian contact of the Europeans with the native populace actually enabled the Industrial Revolution to change Europe, and ultimately the world. "Had Europe and America not come together through Columbus or some other connection, the industrial revolution would never have happened in the way we know it," because Europeans would never have gained access to the metals of the New World, or to Indian mines (Weatherford 57). This contact also generated the money economy of Europe and fueled a shift to a European economy based upon real, hard, convertible currency. Metal-based currency also was critical in fueling industrialism and world trade. By beginning the book with tales of South American encounters with Europe, which were particularly brutal and unequal from the beginning of the Indian-European relationship, Weatherford initiates a tragic tone, explaining how enslaved South American Indians mining gold and silver in Potosi supplied the precious metals for most of the European coins that generated wealth for the Old World at the expense of the liberty of the New World."
Abstract This paper explains how the temperate grasslands of LatinAmerica developed, both in their original formation and in terms of colonization. Human development was a matter of aggressive exploitation.
Abstract This paper provides five brief essays on a number of different aspects of LatinAmerica and its revolutionary history, including essays on: Simon Bolivar, Domingo Sarmiento, and Juan Manuel de Rosas; Emiliano Zapata; the political uses of history in independence and post-independence writings; the idea of race in LatinAmerica; and, the way revolution has functioned as a concept in Latin American history.
From the Paper "Essay One The independence achieved in Latin America freed nations from colonial rule.Despite this freedom there were many similarities between the colonial and post-independence eras in terms of goals rhetoric ..."
This paper discusses income disparities in LatinAmerica: The history, main causes, the different countries, high-income disparities, ethnicity and gender, and possible solutions.
Abstract This paper states that, although inequality and high levels of income disparity represent major challenges confronting economists and leaders in many parts of the world, the problem is particularly severe in the Latin American countries. The author believes that the root of this phenomenon lies in the region's colonial history and the exploitation of the indigenous population as slave labor for agriculture and tapping the mines. The paper concludes that these stubborn patterns of inequality can be overcome if determined efforts are made to open political and social policies to all and to provide access by the poorer sections to social services. Footnotes.
Table of Contents
Income Disparities in LatinAmerica Measuring Inequality: Some Recent Studies
LatinAmerica: How Unequal?
Income Disparity in LatinAmerica: Getting Worse?
Is Poverty and Income Disparity Related?
Historical Roots of Inequality in LatinAmerica Comparison with Colonization of North America Persisting Patterns of Inequality
Social, Economic and Political Changes in the 20th Century
Roles of Race, Ethnicity and Gender in Income Disparities
Racial Identification
Ethnic Identification
Identity Formation and Discrimination
Assets of Households
Access to Services
Average Incomes
What do the Race and Gender-Related Income Statistics Mean?
The Consequences of Inequality
Considered Unfair
Results in Greater Poverty
Affects Economic Growth
Current Backlash
Solutions for Reducing the Inequality in LatinAmerica More Open Political and Social Institutions
More Equitable Economic Institutions and Policies
Conclusion
From the Paper "Poverty and income disparity are not the same concepts. Poverty may decline in a country or region where income disparity is increasing. However, experience has shown that such a situation occurs rarely and inequality and poverty are closely related. This is because in a growing economy with stable levels of inequality, poverty invariably falls. As a result the Latin American region showed significant reduction in poverty levels in the 1970s, when its economies were growing with a corresponding drop in inequality. On the other hand, the 1980s saw a fall in incomes and more unequal income distribution?resulting in accelerated increase in poverty."
Abstract The paper begins with a review of the history and development of the internet. This review deals with the technological development of the internet, as opposed to the applications of the technology. In the second section, the internet is reviewed as an industry. The essential structure of the industry, the functioning of electronic commerce (e-commerce) within this structure, and variations in the Internet industry among global regions and countries are covered. The following section looks at information on and analysis of the region itself and the internet industry in LatinAmerica. Information on and analysis of those internet companies already active in the Latin American internet industry are found in presentations in this following section. In the next section, data relevant to firms participating in 2000 in the internet industry in LatinAmerica are presented. Firms are discussed within the context of their industry participation: (1) ISPs and horizontal portals, (2) vertical portals, and (3) e-commerce firms. The major emphasis, however, is placed on the ISPs and horizontal portals group, as it is this group within which most of the publicly traded internet industry companies in LatinAmerica are to be found.
Introduction to the Report
Report Contents
Introduction to the Internet
Section Preview
History of the Internet
Development of the Internet
Section Notes
The Global Internet Industry
Section Preview
The Structure of the Industry .
E-Commerce
Industry Variations by Global Region
Section Notes
The Latin American Internet Industry
Section Preview
Development of the Industry
Issues Relevant to Future Growth
Industry Variations by Country
Section Notes
Players in the Latin American Industry
Section Preview
ISPs and Horizontal Portals
Vertical Portals
E-Commerce Firms
Section Notes
Bibliography
From the Paper "This report is designed to provide the investor considering entry into the Internet industry in Latin America with the information needed to make an informed decision on the issue. To provide a logical flow of information to support an integrated assessment process by an investor, this report is structured in major sections, each of which provides information relevant to the investment decision in a sequence that leads from a basic familiarity with the Internet and the Internet industry to an in-depth review of the major players in the Internet industry in Latin America. To facilitate an investor's review and analysis of the information provided in this report, major sections and their sub-sections are identified both textually and numerically in the Report Contents page which follows this Introduction to the Report. Sources of information presented in this report are identified through the use of a notation system. For the convenience of the reader of the report, notes are located at the end of each major section of the report and are identified as Section Notes. A Bibliography of all sources cited in the report is presented at the end of the report."
Abstract The central thesis of Eduardo Galeano's 1971 work of poetic, economic nonfiction, "Open Veins of LatinAmerica" is that the cash crops and natural resources of LatinAmerica have provided the fundamental tools for the rich nations of North America and Europe to grow richer, at the expense of the poorest of the poor of LatinAmerica. This paper examines the book and shows how Galeano speaks of the colonial powers as "the winners" and LatinAmerica as "the loser" because of its subsequent political instability after colonial economic exploitation.
From the Paper "At times, Galeano makes great philosophical leaps, and because his analysis is more poetic than statistical, one must as a reader essentially 'go on a ride' with him, and accept some of his sweeping assumptions about the world. However, the ride is ultimately an enriching one. The world cannot sustain itself, if we all remain focused on selfishly profiting our own nations, as was typical during the colonial era. It is no longer sustainable for a national community to focus on enriching itself with greedy policies, because we as a world have come to see that everyone is affected by such an attitude, from our air, water, soil, and the whole of our environments."
Abstract This paper takes a look at how LatinAmerica currently has the potential to be the fastest growing internet market in the world. This paper also takes a look at the effects, predictions and obstacles that have had an influence on the Latin American community as a result of accessing and using the Internet.
Contents:
Who are the Latin American Internet Users?
Obstacles to Internet Growth and Use in LatinAmerica - The Economy
Infrastructure Problems - Computers and Phone Lines
The Language Barrier
The Future of e-Commerce
Profile of Countries
From the Paper "Although Latin America is behind the times, the Internet is rapidly growing. The Latin American Internet is expected to grow faster then the United States. Salomon Smith Barney's report on StarMedia, issued on March 14, 2000, claimed, "the marketing pace and competitive activity in Latin America is currently more frenzied than what was the experience in the United States." But why is the activity so frenzied? What exactly is the Internet market like in Latin America right now? What are the obstacles preventing a flourishing Internet market? What factors should a public relations practitioner know about when using the Internet in public relations activities in Latin America? The rest of this section answers these questions."
Tags:america, barrier, commerce, communication, e, economy, internet, language, latin, obstacles
Abstract This paper discusses the history of Latin American revolutionary movements and the circumstances that have shaped LatinAmerica since the arrival of the Europeans. It discusses the role of the United States in LatinAmerica, particularly its economic and political interests. The paper ends by discussing, briefly, the role of women in the Latin American revolutions.
From the Paper "The history of Latin American revolutionary movements is one of repeated social and political fragmentation. Of course, this is true of most revolutionary movements in world history; however, the unique circumstances that have shaped Latin America since the arrival of Europeans have placed their independence movements in the midst of heated struggles between the imperial powers of the world. As a result, the varied socioeconomic structure of many Latin American nations has generated intense hostility between the social elites, the working class, as well as outside political and economic forces. Nevertheless, one of the recurring themes in Latin American history is the emergence of a powerful labor movement; far more influential than those in the United States, and accordingly, threatening to American business interests."
Abstract The paper explains Michael Reid's main argument in his book, "Forgotten Continenent: The Battle for LatinAmerica's Soul", that LatinAmerica should matter to Americans, even if the mass media refuses to show any interest. The paper discusses how Reid contends that while there have been some major problems on the way to reform, a new world order is emerging in LatinAmerica. The paper then looks at Reid's claims of improving democracies and serious social change. The paper asserts that much of the information in the first half of the book is factual and not easily disputed, however, the second half of the book is highly opinionated and with questionable evidence. The paper concludes that Reid's work is still an important contribution to the study of Latin American politics and their contribution to the global marketplace.
Outline:
Reid's Key Arguments
Evolution Rather Than Revolution
Conclusion
From the Paper "Latin American used to be considered a non-entity in terms of economic opportunity. When some one said, "Latin America" it typically conjured up images of primitive tribes, jungles, and ancient long lost ruins. It was not associated with a land of opportunity for investment and venture capital. However, Latin America continues to improve its image and is in the process of integrating into the global economy. Latin America is becoming a player in the world economy. Michael Reid's book, "Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul" examines Latin America in a new light. This book examines Latin America and its deepened democratic institutions as a world of opportunity and social advancement."
Tags: economy, poverty, democracy, reforms, mass, media
